Damaged Hearts
by DaughterOfPoseidon333
Summary: Tag to 1x05, Damaged. Oliver and Laurel kissed, and then Laurel said that nothing could ever happen between them. Oliver's heart is breaking slowly, having to lie to Laurel about his feelings and about his other identity. Laurel, meanwhile, is struggling between her feelings for Oliver and her feelings for Tommy. (Oliver/Laurel)(No incest)(Rated T for language and I'm paranoid)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everybody! This is my first Arrow fanfic, so I hope you like it. Let me just say that I'm already addicted to this show and there have only been five episodes. Happens to me a lot with new shows.**

**This is a tag to the most recent episode, Damaged. Maybe once the show gets further into the season, I might consider writing an original story. But I'll just see if you guys like this one first =)**

**I don't own Arrow.**

**Enjoy!**

Damaged

Downstairs, the prison themed party raged on, the loud music sending tremors through the house, but Oliver barely noticed with Laurel standing there in front of him. She had stopped talking for a moment, so Oliver took her silence and used it to ask the question that had been burning inside of him since he had returned.

"Why don't you hate me?" he asked quietly. Laurel looked at him with what was almost surprise in her eyes. "You should."

"I did." Laurel's voice quavered slightly, but she kept talking. She had always been so strong. Oliver loved that about her. "For so long I did, Ollie. But after today, I realized that I was so focused on what happened to my family that I didn't even stop and wonder what happened to you."

Oliver glanced down momentarily as Laurel's eyes started to shine. She didn't cry, but he hated seeing it either way, because he knew he was the cause of those unshed tears. Oliver looked back up as she started talking again, quieter this time.

"I didn't know about the torture or your scars." She whispered. "what happened to you was more than you deserved."

Oliver wanted to disagree with that. Before he had disappeared, before the island, before any of that, he had been a jerk. He had been rude, cruel, selfish. He had taken everything for granted. In some weird, twisted sense, Oliver believed that the island had been made so he could become a better person.

"And I was wrong that I didn't ask you before. But I'm asking you now. I need to know. I need to see." Laurel continued, her voice pleading at the end.

"Are you sure?" Oliver whispered, gazing directly into her eyes.

Laurel hesitated for a fraction of a second before giving a slight nod of her head. "Yes,"

Oliver answered by reaching for the top button on his blue shirt. Laurel pushed the shirt open. Once all the buttons were undone, Oliver let his hands fall to his sides. He watched Laurel as she took in the sight of his scarred chest. Several different emotions flicked over her face at once: disbelief, uncertainty, pain, fear. Oliver felt her fingertips gently brush over each scar, as if she were checking to make sure they were real. He loved the feel of her hands on his skin. They were so gentle and so soft, and it brought old memories flooding back. Memories, that for once, weren't about the island.

"How did you survive this?" Laurel whispered, letting her hands fall away from his skin.

"There were times I wanted to die. In the end…there was something I wanted more." Oliver said slowly. He stood, frozen, trying to gauge her reaction. He watched as she fit the pieces together, and added the unspoken 'you' to the end of his sentence.

Oliver took one unsure step towards her, and she did the same. Then they were a mere inch apart. Oliver leaned down as Laurel leaned up and their lips met softly. Oliver felt Laurel's hand slide up around his neck. Their bodies pressed together, the fabric of Laurel's thin shirt rubbing against the skin of his chest. His heart beat faster and fire shot through his veins. Oliver felt Laurel's teeth gently graze his bottom lip.

But then her lips were gone all together.

Laurel gasped and pulled away from him, and Oliver suddenly felt cold. Laurel shoved past him, ending the blissful moment all too quickly.

"No, Laurel. You don't have to go." Oliver said.

But she was already gone.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Laurel raced out the door, trying to get as far away from Oliver as she could. She wiped at her mouth, trying to erase the kiss that had just happened between them, but the sensation stayed. The second she and Oliver had kissed, everything else fell away. The party. Her dad. The man in the green hood. Tommy.

_Oh God…Tommy, _Laurel thought. A few stray tears fell from her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away. She didn't cry. She wasn't supposed to cry. But Oliver had completely messed up her emotions for the night. Maybe for forever. She had cried so much after Sarah had died, and after she had thought that Oliver was dead too. Tears didn't bring her sister back, so they weren't good for anything.

Laurel had been so focused on getting out of the Queen's house that she didn't even see Tommy until she ran into him.

"Whoa, Laurel. Hey." Tommy smiled. Then he seemed to really see her and his smile faltered. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. O-Oliver's trial is just taking a lot out of me." Laurel said, silently cursing herself for tripping over Oliver's name.

"Were you just with Oliver? Did you guys argue or something?" Tommy asked, placing a warm hand on her shoulder, drawing her over to a corner so they were out of the way of the people bustling through the house.

"Yeah, we kinda fought. He was just being Oliver, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Tommy said with a smile. "Well, I'll take you home if you want."

"That's okay. I think Oliver would want you to stay. Please, stay."

Tommy's eyes searched her face, trying to search for an ulterior motive for her words. Apparently, he didn't find anything suspicious in her face, because he smiled warmly at her.

"Okay. Go home. Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow." Tommy said gently. He leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips, then turned to follow a waiter carrying around drinks on a tray.

Laurel managed to make it out to her car before she broke down. More tears fell, and this time she couldn't stop them. Even though it had just been Tommy to kiss her, all she could feel was the ghost of Oliver's kiss on her lips. Her heart felt like it was being ripped in two. She tried to think of reasons why she shouldn't feel the way she did about Oliver. _Oliver cheated on you. He was the one to invite Sarah on that boat. He's no good. _But for every reason she came up, the voice in the back of her mind spoke up and gave her a reason to like him. And not just like him, but _love _him. But she couldn't bring herself to love him. One or both of them would end up getting hurt.

And she had a feeling it was Oliver who was going to end up getting his heart broken.

-:-:-:-:-:-:

It was the day after Oliver had kissed Laurel, and once again, they were standing in his room, facing off against each other. _Just say what she wants to hear. Make her believe that last night meant nothing, _Oliver screamed to himself. He had to keep the secret going. He couldn't reveal anything about his other identity. He had to lie, once again, to keep her safe.

"Do you want to know why I don't talk about what happened to me there? Because if people _knew…_if you _knew…_you'd see me differently. And not as some _vigilante _guy…as damaged." Oliver began. He could see that hurt in Laurel's eyes, but he couldn't stop now. It wasn't enough. So he told her part of the truth. "I don't sleep. I barely eat. I can barely sign my name…let alone aim a bow and arrow." Oliver ended quietly.

He saw Laurel swallow as his monologue sunk in. He watched her face change as she began to believe his story. It hurt like hell to see her face change like that. He hurt him to see how easily he could manipulate the ones around him, especially the ones he loved.

"After last night…" Laurel paused, as if she wasn't sure what to say next. "clearly we're still attracted to one another. Oliver, nothing can ever happen between us."

_But something _did _happen between us, _is what Oliver wanted to say. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her when he had been on that island. He wanted to tell her that he thought about her all the time, tell her that he dreamed about being with her for the rest of his life. He wanted to tell her that he _loved her. _All the words he wanted to say were on the tip of his tongue, right there, all he had to do was open his mouth…but he couldn't. It would ruin everything. And she was with Tommy now. No matter how jealous he was, or how much he loved Laurel, he would never hurt either of them like that by ruining their relationship.

So instead of fighting, he said what she wanted to hear. "I know."

Laurel nodded, and handed him his polygraph results. He clenched the papers in his hand, never taking his eyes off of Laurel. He let her walk out the door and watched it shut behind her, sealing him in alone.

"_Nothing can ever happen between us." _

The words echoed in Oliver's head and suddenly it was hard to breathe. He stumbled back against the bed, needing the support so he wouldn't fall to his knees. Oliver knew he couldn't tell Laurel the truth; it would only put her in danger. But the thought of having to push her away like he just did, _constantly¸_ the thought of having to make her hate him just so he could protect her…Oliver didn't know how long he would be able to keep it up before he broke down in front of her and spilled everything.

Oliver glanced down at the polygraph results in his hand. Angry at himself for not following Laurel out, he balled up the papers and threw it hard across the room. He paused. Then the pillows went sailing across the room, crashing into things, breaking things. He tore the blankets off the bed, ripped the cushions form the couch, and got his hands on everything that he could throw.

After the room looked like it had been hit by a tornado, Oliver collapsed on the floor. He sat silently, staring out the windows, Laurel's face burned into his mind, her words engraved in his heart. _"Nothing can ever happen between us."_

So lost in his own thoughts, Oliver barely noticed when Thea came in and sight beside him amongst the debris. She leaned her head comfortingly against his shoulder.

"I saw Laurel leave. Then I heard the noise. Figured it probably wasn't safe to come in till you were done. I didn't want you throwing me across the room too." Thea said jokingly, trying to make him feel better.

Oliver felt the corners of his mouth twitch up into half a smile. "I've messed things up completely with Laurel. I don't think she trusts me. I guess all I've done since I got back is mess things up with people. I've messed things up with you, Mom, and Walter too."

"Well, you _were _away from any form of civilization for five years. It's somewhat understandable." Thea replied.

Oliver didn't answer. Thea sighed. Not like she was frustrated or angry with him, it was more of an understanding sigh. "You're going out again tonight, aren't you?"

Oliver just nodded. "I need some time to think."

"Yeah, that's your excuse every time."

Thea got up and headed for the door.

"Thea, wait," Oliver called out as he stood up.

Thea turned, hands on her hips. "Yes?"

"Tomorrow night, you, me, a tub of ice cream, and a couple of cheesy movies. No going out to party or, in my case, think. How does that sound?" Oliver asked, giving her a smile.

For a moment, his sister didn't move, just looked down at the floor. When she looked back up, she was smiling. "I'd like that. Tomorrow night. See you then, Ollie."

With that, Thea turned and walked out the door. Just like Laurel. Oliver sighed, deciding that he'd pick up his mess later. At the moment, though, he had to become the person he told Laurel he wasn't. It was time to become the man in the green hood.

**Well, I hoped you liked it! Please review, it would mean so much to me! Thanks for reading!**

**-DaughterOfPoseidon333**


	2. Chapter 2

**I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed my story! Thank you so much!**

**Your support means the world to me!**

**So this story will be a combination of tags to episodes and chapters of my own creation. This chapter is the latter.**

**Just a note, part of the inspiration for this chapter came from the song The Last Time by Taylor Swift feat. Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol. I think it really fits in with what Oliver and Laurel are going through, so just give it a shot.**

**I don't own Arrow or any of the song lyrics.**

**Enjoy!**

Ch. 2: Same Night, Different Worlds

_-:-_

_You find yourself at my door_

_Just like all those times before_

_You wear your best apology_

_But I was there to watch you leave_

_And all the times I let you in_

_Just for you to go again_

_Disappear when you come back _

_Everything is better_

_And right before your eyes_

_I'm aching_

_No past, nowhere to hide_

_Just you and me…_

_-The Last Time; Taylor Swift feat. Gary Lightbody_

_-:-_

"Where are we going? Oliver, come on, just tell me!" Thea giggled.

Oliver chuckled. He had put a blindfold over Thea's eyes and was leading her gently by the arm through the Queen house.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" Oliver responded with a smile. "Alright, now stop."

Oliver steadied his sister. "Okay, you can take your blindfold off now,"

Oliver stepped back as Thea reached up to untie the blindfold. When she could see again, Oliver held his arms out and gestured around the room.

"Ta-da," he smiled at Thea, whose jaw had dropped slightly.

"What is all this?" she asked, still stunned.

"I promised you a movie night, didn't I?"

Oliver went over to stand in between the coffee table and the flat-screen television. There was a stack of movies on the TV stand. He had stocked the coffee table with snacks: popcorn, ice cream, trail mix, chips, and several six-packs of coke.

Thea laughed and sat down on the couch. "Yeah, yeah you did. Honestly, I didn't think you would come through."

"Well, we haven't had any quality time since I got back. I thought it was time to just spend a night in, without having to worry about anything." Oliver said, taking a seat next to Thea.

His sister eyed the food on the table. "I'm gonna get fat if I eat all this."

"Well then we'll get fat together."

Thea picked up a spoon and the tub of ice cream. "I can deal with that."

She handed Oliver a spoon, and he gratefully took it. Oliver pressed a button and Forest Gump started playing on the TV. Oliver found that it was surprisingly easy to just get lost in the land of make-believe movies. He found himself not wondering what Laurel was doing, or what could possibly be going wrong without the man in the green hood out prowling the streets of Starling City. It was nice not to be worrying. It was nice just to spend time with Thea and laugh with her, like they did before he disappeared for five years.

Oliver was still awake halfway through their third movie, but Thea had fallen soundly asleep. He smiled at her. She looked so innocent as she slept. There were no troubles to bother her as she dreamed peacefully. It was a luxury Oliver no longer had. He almost always dreamed about the island. Nightmares plagued him, and there were nights when he didn't sleep at all.

Not wanting the noise of the movie to wake her up, Oliver shut it off and quietly cleaned up the empty cans and other trash. When he was finished, Oliver hoisted Thea into his arms and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. He laid her gently down in her bed, tucked her in, and left, praying that the small brotherly deed would somewhat make up for disappearing on her for five years. He hoped that she would someday forgive him for not being the poster-boy for brother of the year.

Oliver padded down the hall to his own room, deciding that he would try and get some sleep, considering the fact that he didn't last night. He lay down in his bed, eyes on the ceiling, waiting for slumber to overtake him. It was hard though. Without a movie in front of his vision and Thea by his side, he started thinking and worrying about everything. Mainly, though, he started thinking about Laurel. He wondered what she was doing right now. Was she thinking about him, too? Or had she completely forgotten about their kiss and confrontation from the last few days?

_Nothing can ever happen between us._ Oliver saw Laurel's face as her words rang in his head once again. Those words had been haunting him ever since she said them. And each time he thought about it, he thought of Laurel. He thought about the silky touch of her brown locks, the smoothness of her skin, the look in her hazel-green eyes right before she kissed him. Oliver shut his eyes and her beautiful face was still trapped behind his lids.

Without even realizing it, Oliver fell asleep, and yet, even in unconsciousness, Laurel was still with him.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Across the city, Laurel sat with Tommy on the couch in her apartment. They were watching one of those extremely cheesy, horrible movies on SyFy because Tommy found them hilarious. Laurel supposed it was punishment for making Tommy sit through all those sappy, romantic movies that girls always insisted on watching.

After Oliver had been cleared of any charges against him the day before, Laurel had taken the day off, which she _never _did. Everything that had happened with Oliver the last two days had just drained her of any ability to be productive. She had spent most of the day sleeping or watching TV. She _had_ managed to at least shower and dress herself in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Tommy had come over around 6:00, bearing Chinese take-out with him. Laurel had been grateful because she really hadn't been in any mood to cook. Since dinner, she and Tommy had spent most of the evening on her couch, alternating between watching bad movies, talking, and kissing.

Laurel found it easy to be with Tommy. He was easy to be around, easy to talk to, and he didn't mind them sitting in silence either. If he really held up to his declaration of being a one-woman man, he would make a great boyfriend. But Laurel knew she wasn't ready for them to become an official couple yet. Not when every mention of the word 'boyfriend' reminded her of the last boyfriend she had. And that last boyfriend just happened to be Oliver Queen.

Oliver, unlike Tommy, was somewhat frustrating to be around. He was…well, he was Oliver. He could make her so angry one moment, and the next, he would lower his voice, gaze at her with those beautiful blue eyes, and melt her heart with just a few words. And then there was the mysterious, scarred boy part of him that had been on the island. That was probably the part of him that frustrated Laurel the most. He just refused to let her in, and she hated not being able to help him. Then, of course, there was the Oliver that loved her, the Oliver that told her that she was the reason he didn't give up the island, the Oliver that kissed her and made her forget all about Tommy-

"I'm gonna grab a beer. You want anything?" Tommy's voice broke into Laurel's thoughts, and she jumped in surprise. Laurel felt herself blush, and then realized that was silly. It's not like Tommy could've known she had been thinking about Oliver.

"Um, no. I'm good. Thanks." Laurel replied. Tommy nodded, then turned and walked into the kitchen to grab himself a beer.

Tommy stayed a few more hours. Laurel was honestly relieved when he left, giving her a kiss on the cheek as he went. After she had started comparing Tommy and Oliver, she couldn't stop.

And her thoughts always came back to Oliver. Oliver's blue eyes. Oliver's soft hair that made Laurel want to run her fingers through it all the time. That shadow of stubble on Oliver's face that Laurel loved, but that Tommy always shaved off. It was all just Oliver, Oliver, Oliver. And his name, God she loved the sound of his name on her lips. She loved the sound of _her own_ name whenever Oliver said it. Oliver was like a disease, and she was infected.

As Laurel climbed into her bed, she wondered where Oliver was now. She wondered if he was thinking about her. She wondered if he thought about their kiss, like Laurel had for the past 48 hours. Tommy popped into her thoughts every once in a while, but all her thoughts of Oliver overwhelmed those of Tommy like a tsunami. It was Oliver in her mind as Laurel drifted off into sleep.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

_Oliver was on the Queen's Gambit. It was the night of the storm, the night the yacht sank. Everything was the same in his cabin. The lightning outside, the rain pounding down, the bed, the wine poured for two…everything but the person he was with. Instead of Sarah Lance, it was Laurel. It was Laurel whose lips he kissed, right before the storm knocked the power out. Laurel was with him as the boat tipped, and they were thrown head over heels, crashing into things, still with the rain pounding above their heads. Laurel looked up at him, desperation and fear in her eyes._

_Oliver reached out to her. "Laurel," he said._

_Then the boat shook, another flash of lighting ripping into the side of the yacht, tearing a hole right below Laurel. Oliver knew what was coming. He knew it in his heart and soul, but that still didn't make it any less bad than it was. Water filled up in the hole as the boat tilted to the side and sunk._

_The sinking yacht created a suction of water that led straight down to the ocean floor, carrying debris, furniture, and Laurel down with the ship. Laurel screamed, a scream that tore Oliver's heart to shreds and made him feel like he was choking._

"_Laurel!" he cried out, but it wasn't enough. Her body was dragged into the water and forced under the waves; her last gasping breaths spent breathing in water._

"Laurel!" Oliver yelled, bolting upright in bed.

His legs tangled in the covers, his body covered with a thin sheen of sweat. It took Oliver a minute to remember where he was. He was at home, safe, not watching Laurel sink under the ocean. Oliver shook his head, trying to clear the awful visions and erase Laurel's screams from his memory. A loud boom outside made Oliver whip his head towards the window. Outside, it was actually raining, lighting flashing across the sky and thunder shaking the building. It seemed as if Oliver dreamed of the yacht sinking whenever it was raining outside. He hoped that would eventually go away. Part of him knew that the nightmares would never stop; the memories of the island would never cease or go away. Oliver would always relive those five years of his life wherever he went.

Laurel's drowning face flashed in his mind, and he climbed out of bed and threw on a shirt and grabbed a jacket. Oliver raced as quietly as he could through the house and out into the storm.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Laurel woke when she heard the knock on her door.

She was surprised she heard it at all with the storm raging on outside. Laurel glanced over at the clock on her bedside table. 3:02. Now who the hell would be at her door at three o'clock in the morning? She could probably guess, but it still surprised her when she threw open the door, and found Oliver there, soaking wet, wearing nothing but a t-shirt, a sodden pair of sweats, and a thin jacket.

"Oliver, what are you doing here? It's three in the morning." Laurel asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I-uh…could I come in?" he asked quietly.

Laurel looked up at him-with his hair dripping into his face and his shirt clinging to his chest, outlining each muscle-and knew she couldn't just leave him out on her doorstep. She stepped aside so he could come in. Once she shut the door to her apartment, Laurel looked at Oliver. He was glancing around the apartment, as if trying to remember why he had come here in the middle of the night.

"Oliver, you okay?" Laurel asked gently, turning on a dim light.

Oliver turned and looked directly at her. "No. Not really. I couldn't sleep."

"So you came here?"

"I had a nightmare," Oliver said, then paused. He was breathing hard, and Laurel noticed that he was shivering slightly.

"Why don't I run your clothes through the dryer real quick? I have some extras you could borrow for right now." she suggested. Oliver looked at her like she was crazy for a moment, before nodding his head. He peeled off his jacket and handed it to her.

Laurel tossed the jacket in the dryer and led Oliver to her room. Without looking at him, she rummaged through her dresser, and pulled out an old t-shirt and jeans from the back of the drawer. She turned around and saw Oliver gazing about the room, a sort of wonder in his eyes.

"It's still the same," he murmured. He looked back at her and smiled as she handed him the clothes.

Oliver looked down at the shirt and jeans, a look of puzzlement flashing over his features momentarily. "These are mine…"

Laurel looked down at the floor, hoping the dim light of her room would hide the red creeping up into her cheeks. "Um, yeah. I had them from…before…before you disappeared. I kept them. I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away if they were the last piece I had of you." Laurel struggled to keep her voice steady.

She thought back to a month after the Queen's Gambit had gone out and never come back. She had been worried about her sister, yes, but that had been the time when she still considered herself Oliver's girlfriend. She had remembered sobbing over him, holding those shirts as she tried to fall asleep at night. Even now they still smelled like Oliver.

Laurel looked up and found Oliver staring at her, his blue eyes intense. Then his mouth twitched up into a smile. Laurel tried, but couldn't return the smile. Smiling meant that keeping those shirts meant more than it actually did. She couldn't give Oliver the wrong idea.

"I'll get out so you can get dressed," Laurel muttered quietly, then walked out of her room. She turned to shut the door behind her, but not before she caught a glimpse of Oliver's chest. Laurel felt her jaw drop slightly as Oliver turned and she caught a look at his back, which had just as many scars as his chest. Careful not to make a sound, Laurel shut the door as quietly as possible. She leaned against the door-frame for a moment, needing to catch her breath. Not for the first time, Laurel wondered what had happened to Oliver on the island. What could have possibly happened that would result in all those scars? Laurel knew that he had been tortured, but still…

The door opened behind Laurel, and she quickly scrambled away from the door. If Oliver thought it was weird that she had been waiting right outside the door for him, he didn't say anything.

"Thanks for the clothes." Oliver said, handing her his sodden shirt and sweats.

"No problem," Laurel said, taking the clothes form him. For a brief moment, their fingers brushed against each other and Laurel's heart nearly stopped. Just the tiniest form of contact between them and Laurel's heart rate shot up and she was suddenly mesmerized by everything about him.

Laurel watched Oliver as he pulled back and went to sit on the couch. Laurel shook her head, trying to clear it of the fogginess. She tossed Oliver's clothes in the dryer and turned it on, enjoying the noise in the background to break up the silence between her and Oliver. Laurel walked over to the couch and plopped down in the seat beside him. They were so close that Laurel could see the flecks of gray and green in Oliver's eyes and could smell the rain and cologne off his skin.

"So, Ollie, was there a reason why you came here? You said something about a nightmare-" Laurel started, but Oliver broke her off.

"Yeah. A nightmare." Oliver got a faraway look in his eyes, like he was looking back into the past and didn't quite like what he saw. "I came by to make sure you were okay."

"To make sure I was okay? Ollie, you know that whatever you dreamt, it wasn't real. Okay? It wasn't real, Ollie." Laurel whispered.

"It felt real," Oliver murmured. He looked at her with his blue eyes full of pain.

"Tell me. Tell me what it was about. Maybe I can help. That's my job, you know? Helping people." Laurel asked gently. She didn't want to push him if he didn't want to talk about his dreams.

Oliver paused. "It was about you. Instead of Sarah…it was you on that boat. You were the one who drowned."

Oliver looked down, but Laurel could see the guilt and the pain and the sadness written in every plane of his body. She reached out and put a hand to his cheek. It was wet, and not from the rain. Laurel moved to draw her hand back, but Oliver caught it there, holding her hand to his cheek, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. Oliver looked up again. His eyes were dry, so whatever stray tears he had shed were gone.

"You were the one I couldn't save, Laurel." Oliver whispered, his voice breaking as he said her name.

Then Laurel did something that surprised even herself. She wrapped her arms around Oliver's warm body, her face buried in his shoulder. Oliver, recovering from his initial shock, wound his arms around her, wrapping her in a blanket of warmth. Laurel knew she didn't even have to say anything; all Oliver needed was the comfort of another human being. He needed the warmth and the comfort to counter the cold and loneliness from the island.

Laurel only wished that she could be that comfort, that warmth, all the time.

**So there's chapter two! I will try to have the next chapter up soon!**

**And if there's something that doesn't quite sound like one of the characters or something I need to change about how I'm writing the characters, please tell me. I'm doing my best to sound like them, but I'm still working on finding their voices. **

**Don't forget to review! Thanks for reading!**

**-DaughterOfPoseidon333 **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry that I haven't updated in a little while, I've been pretty busy lately. I will try to update a little more now that things are slowed down for me for a little bit here.**

**I would like to dedicate this chapter to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. The attention this story has gotten amazes me! Thank you guys SO MUCH!**

**I hope everyone had a good Christmas (Or other winter holiday), so this is my present to you.**

**Enjoy!**

**P.S. This is set after the latest episode, Year's End, but will have references from Muse Of Fire and Vendetta.**

**Also, sorry if I mess up on a few details from the episodes, it's been a couple weeks since I watched some of them.**

Chapter 3: A Heart Torn In Two

Oliver groaned in his hospital bed. He had been there three days and he was starting to get bored. He was visited everyday by his mom, Thea, and, of course, Diggle, but their company wasn't enough to staunch his growing impatience to get out of that damn hospital bed. It was getting late, nearing 11:00 p.m., but Oliver wasn't tired. All he had done was sleep the last few days. It didn't help that the bed wasn't very comfortable, or that his body _still _ached after his fight with the mystery archer.

The mystery archer. Just someone else to add to Oliver's growing list of problems.

Whoever the archer was, they were good. Experienced. Oliver had gotten away, but just barely. His back stung where he had been struck with two arrows. Soon they would just be more scars to add to the countless many that he already had. Oliver tried to remember details from the fight, anything that might help him I.D. the other archer, but nothing stuck out in his mind. He had obviously been a man; he had been far too big and tall to be a woman. He probably had money, considering his armor and arrows had been custom-made.

But the archer hadn't known that Oliver was Starling City's vigilante, which was at least one advantage had. But it wasn't much. It's not like Oliver knew who the archer had been. He didn't even know why the archer wanted him dead in the first place. Oliver didn't know if the archer was working alone or had people in on his operation. There were too many questions, and not enough answers.

For a brief moment, Oliver considered the possibility that Helena Bertinelli was working with the archer, but quickly wiped the thought from his mind. Helena worked alone; Oliver knew that for sure.

Oliver thought about Helena, her face sweeping into his mind. He'd liked Helena. A lot. He had found it easy to be with her. She understood, somewhat, what he had been going through. They had both suffered on an island of their own, and that made it easier for Oliver to open up to her. It had felt _good _to open up to someone, to talk to someone. Sure, he could always talk to Diggle, but Diggle didn't quite understand, even if he said he did. And Helena made him realize that even when he liked another woman, even when he was with another woman, Laurel was still there, in his heart. After the awkward dinner with Tommy and Laurel, after what Helena said about the way he looked at Laurel, it made Oliver realize how much he really still cared for Laurel. And not just cared for her…_loved her. _

Maybe that's why it had been best for Helena to move on. Because even as Oliver wanted it to work with Helena, he knew it never could've. Not while his heart still belonged to Laurel, even if she had given hers away to Tommy.

Tommy and Laurel.

Oliver knew that they had been growing closer, almost couple-like, but it still hurt to see them together. It hurt like hell to see Laurel with someone else. Oliver knew he had done her wrong by having a relationship with Sara, but it only made him realize what he had given up. But maybe, Laurel being with Tommy was the universe's way of showing him that he didn't deserve Laurel. Maybe it was karma kicking him in the ass for being such a jerk before he got marooned on that island. Oliver figured that he deserved it. Laurel deserved to be happy, so he didn't deserve her, because he had just brought pain into her life.

But then there had been the Christmas party, where Laurel had admitted that Oliver had been the reason she hadn't really been moving forward with Tommy. Oliver had remembered trying to keep a straight face while she confessed that, even though, on the inside, he'd wanted to burst with happiness. He had wanted to spill his guts to Laurel then and there, but he knew he couldn't. If Tommy made her happy, then it was his duty as Tommy's best friend, and as Laurel's ex, to be happy for them too.

Oliver fisted his hands in the scratchy hospital blanket, feeling a pain in his heart and anger at himself for not telling Laurel how he felt. He turned his head to the big bay window in his room. He looked out at the familiar skyline of Starling City, trying to clear his head of all the events that had happened the past few weeks. Just as it seemed like he was about to doze off, Oliver heard the door to his room open and the last person he expected to see walked into the dimly lit room.

"Laurel, what're you-It's late, what are you doing here?" Oliver asked in confusion, struggling to sit up in bed.

Laurel looked at Oliver, relief sweeping over her features. "I heard about your motorcycle accident. I'm sorry, I've been so busy, I haven't been able to stop by, but I had to make sure you were okay."

Oliver watched as Laurel set her purse down, took off her jacket, and came over to sit on the edge of his bed. He had to resist the urge to reach out and touch her hand, which was just inches from his.

"Well, I'm much better, thank you." Oliver said slowly.

Still with worry creasing her brow, Laurel reached over and gently brushed her fingers over one of the bigger cuts above his eyebrow. Oliver caught her hand against his cheek and held it there. She looked startled, but didn't pull away.

"Laurel," Oliver whispered, unable to look away from her gorgeous brown eyes. "What you told me, at the Christmas party, about me being the reason you weren't able to move on with Tommy…now that you told me, are you going to be able to move forward with him?"

"Yes." Laurel said, not even hesitating.

"Good," he replied. Laurel looked surprised at his response, but she soon smiled, which made the pain all worth it.

"You deserve someone like him, Laurel. You deserve to be with someone who isn't a world-class jerk," Oliver told her with half a smile.

"You're not a jerk. Not anymore." Laurel replied, returning the smile.

"Exactly. Not anymore. Before I was. When we were dating, before I disappeared, I wasn't a good guy, Laurel. I started fights and got in trouble. I-"

"Ollie, don't. You don't have to do this to yourself." Laurel said quietly.

No. Please. I have to say this." Oliver, looked at Laurel, he tried to put all his trust and pleading in his words. She had to listen. "I had a relationship with your sister and you never did anything about any of it. I realized too late just how much you cared about me. You put up with all my crap, and I…I let you down. And I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. About all of it." Oliver looked up at Laurel, who slowly took her hand from his cheek.

"You're only human, Ollie. We all make mistakes. I forgave you for yours a long time ago." She whispered.

"See, there you go again," he smirked. "Treating me better than I deserve."

"Oh, shut up. I think the nurses gave you too many pain meds." She laughed.

"I mean it though. You deserve Tommy. He's a good guy. And he's so lucky to have a girl like you." Oliver said, his smile faltering as he turned serious again.

"Ollie-"

"Laurel," Oliver said her name firmly, cutting her off. "Does he make you happy?"

"Yes. Yes, he does."

"Then that's all that matters." Oliver said with a note of finality. Laurel's mouth quirked up in the corners, like she was trying hard not to smile.

Then she did the unexpected.

She leaned in and placed her lips to his cheek, instantly filling Oliver with warmth.

"Get some sleep, Ollie. You look like you need it." she whispered in his ear.

Oliver felt his mouth drop open slightly, feeling like he should say something, but no words passed his lips. He watched Laurel pick up her jacket and her bag then turn towards the door. She stopped and turned at the doorway.

Laurel blushed, looking sheepish. "Maybe…maybe tomorrow Tommy and I could stop by together. Maybe it would help you get used to seeing us together. But if that would be too weird-"

"No. No. I'd love that. Let's do it." Oliver interjected, finding his voice.

The smile that lit up Laurel's face was enough to make an angel cry. Her smile melted his heart, and her face lingered in his mind long after she had gone. Oliver reached up to touch his cheek where Laurel had kissed him. He still felt her lips on his skin.

Oliver knew that kiss would haunt him until he felt her lips again. Which he knew might never happen again.

As Oliver drifted into sleep, he saw Laurel's face in his mind: her deep brown eyes, the silky brunette locks of her hair, and that twinkle in her eyes whenever she smiled or laughed. For once, Oliver's dreams of Laurel didn't involve her drowning, unable to be saved. He dreamed about a happier time, when the two of them had been in love. He dreamed of a time before the island, where it was him and Laurel, carefree and happy, content with just spending their days together. Whether it had been a fancy dinner and clubbing, or sitting on the couch in sweats, eating ice cream and laughing together, it didn't matter because they were together.

Oliver sometimes wished he could go back to before the island. His dad would be alive, their family would be whole, he never would've suffered the pain, loneliness, and heartache he had felt on the island, and he would still have Laurel to call his own. But part of him, as cliché as it may have sounded, believed that everything had happened for a reason. Slowly, but surely, Oliver, as the vigilante, was healing Starling City.

And maybe during the process, he could try and heal his own heart.

Maybe one day he would fall in love and get over Laurel.

But Oliver had a feeling that if that happened, it wouldn't be for a very long time, if ever.

**Sorry again for the delayed update, but I hope you liked the chapter nonetheless. **

**Also sorry that it's a little shorter, but I'll try to make the next one longer. I'll tyr to update soon!**

**Thanks, as always, for reading!**

**Please review!**

**-DaughterOfPoseidon333**


	4. Chapter 4

**I just have to say, before I start, that I love this show! **

**And I am just so grateful to all of you who have read this story and reviewed and followed and favorited. Thank you all so much!**

**I don't own Arrow or anything associated with it.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

It was just a drawer.

A drawer should've been no big deal. Especially considering the past six weeks with Tommy had been the happiest six weeks Laurel had had in a long time. But, as always, Oliver had to step into her thoughts and screw with her decisions. Giving a drawer to Oliver had been easy. They had fallen for each other instantly, making things in their relationship move fast.

But then Oliver had disappeared and Laurel's perspective on relationship's changed a little bit.

Sure, Laurel still moved fast in any relationship she had. That's just how she worked. She fell for guys hard and fast, leaving no room for her brain to step in and correct her actions. But now Laurel was somewhat afraid that if she moved too fast with Tommy, something would happen and screw everything up. She didn't really think Tommy would get stranded on an island for five years, leaving no trace of where he was, but Laurel didn't think that would happen to Oliver either, and look what happened.

Laurel got up from the couch in her living room and went into her bedroom. Laurel was secretly glad that Tommy was at the club, looking into the repairs that needed to be made after the fire. She needed time to think about their relationship. Laurel got into her room and stared at her dresser, contemplating. Maybe she should just give Tommy the drawer. Maybe it would help put things into perspective about how serious her feelings were for him. Laurel bit her bottom lip.

And suddenly it was clear to her.

Of course she had to give Tommy a drawer. She knew how she felt about Tommy. She didn't want to lose him. And if things started moving too fast, they could always slow it down, but a drawer was the first step into proving to Tommy how she felt. And besides, Oliver had seemed to approve of the idea when they had talked outside the fire station. If Oliver was okay with it, if her _ex-boyfriend _was okay with it, then she should be okay with it too.

Laurel walked back into her living room, renewed confidence flowing through her body. Laurel went to her purse and grabbed her phone. She turned to look out the windows at the blackening sky, the glow of Starling City twinkling like Christmas lights. Just as Laurel was about dial Tommy's number, a smile on her face, the lights in her apartment went out.

And there he was.

The Vigilante. The Archer. Starling City's Guardian Angel.

Laurel put down her phone, surprised because she hadn't expected to see him that night. She hadn't called him, but nevertheless, he was there, standing still as a statue in front of the windows that looked out onto the city.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay after the fire," he said deeply, his voice indistinguishable, and yet, Laurel thought she detected a hint of concern in his words.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Laurel said. She tried desperately, like every other time, to get a look at his face, but his hood, and the shadows around them, masked his identity. "You saved everybody in that building. People are calling you a hero." she said softly.

He still hadn't moved. "Do you think I'm a hero?"

Laurel paused. _Did _she think he was a hero? Sure, she didn't always agree with his methods, and in the prison he had had the eyes of a killer after he had pulled that guy off her, but he saved people. He had rescued those five hostages before Christmas. He had taken down some of the city's top criminals and selfish billionaires tearing down their home. He saved everyone in the club the other night. He had saved _her._

"Yes." Laurel said finally, her voice strong with her belief in this hooded man.

She didn't know why, but she trusted him. He made her feel secure whenever he was around. And no matter what her father said, no matter how much her father wanted to take him down, the man _was _a hero. And she would help him again if he needed it. Oddly, she knew she would do anything for him, even if she didn't know who he was.

The Vigilante didn't say anything, but he hadn't left yet.

"I have something for you," Laurel said suddenly, remembering Danny's badge.

She went over to her purse and pulled out the fireman's badge that had belonged to Jo's brother. She turned, half expecting to see the Archer gone, but he was still there. He turned to face her as she stepped closer to him.

"My best friend, the one I told you about, she wanted you to have her brother's badge. You found his killer, and she's just…she's really grateful." Laurel said, holding out the leather case.

The Archer's hand reached out to take the badge, and his gloved fingers brushed hers momentarily. Chills coursed through her body, but they weren't from fear.

"Tell her I'm sorry about her brother. I wish I could've done more." he said.

"You've already done more than anybody could ask for. Thank you." Laurel whispered. She looked down for a brief moment, and when she looked back up, he was gone. Again. Without a sound. The lights flicked back on, and Laurel could still feel the Archer's hand against hers.

As Laurel plopped down on the couch behind her, Tommy and drawers gone from her mind for the moment, Laurel couldn't help but wonder…

Was it possible to feel so connected with someone you didn't even know?

What was it about him that drew her in, catching her in his web, like a spider catching a fly?

Laurel figured it was the adrenaline, the excitement, the feeling of doing something she shouldn't…but it felt like so much more than that. She really did feel connected to him. And he seemed to care about her. At least, it seemed that way, when he came by just to make sure she was okay. Laurel shook her head. All of this drama with Tommy and Oliver and the Archer was screwing with her thoughts.

Laurel walked back into her room, set her phone on the bedside table, and crawled under the covers. She shut her eyes, thinking that in sleep, all the men in her life would disappear, but there they were. Tommy was there, kissing her, telling her he loved her, making her laugh and forget about everything; Oliver was there, old memories of them together flooded her dreams; and then there he was. The Archer. She dreamed of pulling back his hood, but all she saw was a blank face. No features. As empty as a canvas without paint.

Laurel woke in the morning, and the first thing she did was call Tommy and tell him that he now had a drawer. Hopefully, this drawer would help her forget about any old feelings for Oliver and would help get her mind off the Archer. The past was the past. And this drawer could represent the whole future she'd been waiting for.

**So I hoped you liked it!**

**I want to thank all of you again for all of the support!**

**Please review! Tell me what you think!**

**Thanks for reading,**

**-DaughterOfPoseidon333**


	5. Chapter 5

**I just want to start by thanking everyone who has supported this story! It means so much to me that you guys like my writing, so thank you!**

**As far as the timeline for this chapter, I'm having it happen right before Oliver confronts his Mom as Arrow.**

**I don't own Arrow.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 5: Weak Spot

Diggle had been right. Oliver just hadn't wanted to admit it. He hadn't wanted to admit aloud that, even as the vigilante, Laurel was his weak spot.

Oliver knew that loving Laurel messed with his head. He knew that when he was around her, she was all he could think about. She was all he could think about when he _wasn't _around her. But trying to stay away from her, trying to be a good friend, a good ex, and not ruin her relationship with Tommy, it was damn near impossible. All he wanted was to be with her. But he couldn't have her. And that's what hurt the most.

Having that weak spot for Laurel is what made him agree to meet her before he went to meet his mother as the vigilante.

Oliver shouldered his duffel that held his gear as he lifted a hand to knock on Laurel's door. Within seconds, he heard soft footsteps approaching, and Oliver stood back as Laurel threw open the door. She was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, so unlike most of the clothes she owned. Her eyes were slightly rimmed with red, telling him that she had been crying not too long ago. Without saying anything, Oliver stepped forward and brought her into the circle of his arms. She immediately hugged him back, and he felt her body trembling.

"I heard what happened. Are you alright?" Oliver said quietly.

Laurel stepped back. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay."

Laurel turned around and walked over to her beat up red couch. Oliver followed her, shutting the door behind him, and glanced around the apartment. He noticed that it looked a little messier than usual, with frames crooked in places, and broken glass littering the floor. She had put up a fight before they had taken her. Oliver couldn't help but smile a little.

"Where's Tommy?" Oliver asked her, sitting down beside her and putting his duffel on the floor.

"He left a little bit ago. I told him that I just wanted to get some sleep." she replied, picking up a mug of hot chocolate off the coffee table.

"And yet you're here, talking to me," Oliver said mildly, giving her a small smile.

"I know. I needed someone to talk to. Tommy and my dad don't understand. I don't really have anyone else I can talk to about it."

"About what?" he asked, though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

She took a shaky breath. "The vigilante."

"The vigilante?"

"I've…um…he's kinda helped me out a couple times. Like he helped me find the guy who killed Jo's brother and-"

"Laurel, he's dangerous. He's a killer. You shouldn't be working with him." he told her firmly. But he couldn't be nearly as firm about it with Laurel as he had been with Tommy earlier.

"Ollie…he saved my life tonight. He's saved my life a couple times now. If it wasn't for him, I'd probably be dead." Laurel said, looking Oliver straight in the eye.

If only she knew that the vigilante was sitting right in front of her.

But if she _did _know, she would never look at him the same way again. He couldn't have that. He couldn't ruin their friendship by telling her who he was.

"Still, Laurel, you could get into real trouble with this guy." Oliver said, trying to convince her.

"I trust him, Ollie. I don't know how to explain it…I don't know why I trust him…I just do, okay? He wouldn't let anything happen to me. If he didn't care about what happened to me, why would he have saved my life?" Laurel argued.

Oliver paused, not having a good answer to her question. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all. You're my friend, and I don't want to lose you."

They stared at each other for a moment.

_I could kiss her. Right now, _Oliver thought. He tried shooing the thoughts away, but it was impossible with her sitting there in front of him, her eyes pleading, begging him to understand her situation with the vigilante.

"You're not gonna lose me, Oliver. Promise." Laurel said finally.

Oliver was about to say something, when he caught a glance at his watch. It was getting late. If he didn't go now, he would miss her.

"Laurel, I should probably go. But, if you need help cleaning up the apartment, just give me a call." he said with a smile.

She smiled and Oliver's heart lifted. It was astonishing, that just that tiniest movement of her lips, and his whole world completed itself.

"I will. Maybe you and Tommy could both come we could all do it together." she suggested, and Oliver knew it was another friendly gesture to get Oliver to accept the two of them as a couple.

"I'd like that." Oliver turned to leave, but stopped just short of the doorway. "Laurel?"

"Yeah?"

"This is stupid, but I have to ask…do you ever think where we'd be if the yacht hadn't been shipwrecked?" he asked, looking carefully at her face to gauge her reaction.

"I used to. I used to think about it a lot actually. Like, if it hadn't crashed, Sara would be alive, my mom wouldn't have left, Dad wouldn't be so obsessed about finding the vigilante, I probably wouldn't have gotten involved with Tommy…" she trailed off, looking slightly embarrassed about bringing up Tommy. "But then I remember that maybe the yacht shipwrecking was somewhat of a good thing."

"How so?" he asked, curious.

"You changed. And I'm not trying to make it sound like you were a bad guy before-"

"I don't know about _bad_, but selfish jerk, yeah."

She cracked a smile. "I'm just glad you came back. And I think whatever happened on that island, it made you a better man, and a better friend, and that's all I can really ask for, Ollie."

Instead of replying, Oliver leaned forward and gently placed his lips to Laurel's cheek. She drew in a breath but didn't pull away. He knew he shouldn't kiss her, but the moment just seemed right.

"Get some sleep, Laurel. You look tired." with that, Oliver turned and walked out the door. He heard the click of the door in the frame after a few seconds. He should've been happy. Being around her made him happy, but he remembered why he was leaving her apartment and all happiness was replaced with determination and mission. He needed answers form his mother. He needed to keep this city safe. He needed to keep Laurel safe, and the only way to do that was to become the man who had been changed on that island.

**Okay, so I know it was kinda short, but I will try and make them longer. Right now, I know I'm going more along the lines of the show, but that's partly because I like the plot of the show, but also because I'm trying to figure out how to develop all these original snippets into something that can be its own thing, but still fit in partly with the plot of the show.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked in regardless. Please review!**

**Thanks, as always, for reading!**

**-DaughterOfPoseidon333**


	6. Chapter 6

**So here's chapter 6! Sorry for the kinda late update, I've been pretty busy lately. **

**This chapter takes place after the last episode. So Laurel and Tommy had that little argument about Tommy lying to her and all, so I took that a little further. Read on to find out what I mean =)**

**I don't own Arrow!**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 6: Under the Willow Tree

Oliver was dreaming.

He was on the island, picking up that phone in the airstrip's tower. He dialed Laurel's cell, the only other phone number he actually knew by heart. He heard it ring. After six months on the island, he was partly hoping she would pick up, partly hoping she wouldn't. If she did, what the hell would he say? _Hey, Laurel, it's Oliver. How you been? Well, I've been great, just stuck on an island for six months. _Oliver laughed inwardly at the thought.

Then he heard her voice.

_"Hello?" _she said from the other line. She sounded fine. Happy even, as if she had just come from a party or something. Oliver wondered if she thought her sister was dead. Or maybe, after only 6 months, she still held the hope that Sara could be alive. Maybe she even hoped that _he _was alive.

_"Hello?" _she said again.

Oliver tried to speak, but it was impossible since he could scarcely breathe. Anything he had planned on saying lodged in his throat, choking him. Just as he was about to find the strength to talk, Slade came up behind him and slammed the phone down, cutting off the last connection Oliver would have with Laurel in four and a half years.

The dream shifted.

Oliver was with McKenna. Several scenes of them shifted together. They were standing in the SCPD precinct, kissing. They were spread out on a blanket on the floor of the then uncompleted club. Then they were in the hospital, McKenna explaining how she was moving away for a year at least. But the dream changed again, and it was no longer McKenna in the hospital bed, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. It was Laurel.

"How could you let this happen?" Laurel said, her voice reflecting the hurt and betrayal in her eyes. "Ollie, how could you let this happen? You were supposed to protect me. I mean, the Vigilante is supposed to protect people, right?"

Oliver jolted awake. His legs tangled in the sheets, as he sat up. He looked around, expecting to see Laurel accusing him for being the vigilante. But she wasn't there. It was just him, alone in his room. He glanced over at the clock on his bedside stand. It read 3:04. Well, he'd managed to get a few hours of sleep before the nightmares set in.

Oliver lay back down, staring at the ceiling, taking deep breaths, trying to steady his heartbeat. Earlier today, he and McKenna had broken it off. He had liked her. A lot more than he'd expected to. But Oliver knew that it really couldn't have worked out in the end. She was a cop and he was the Vigilante. Oliver knew that if she ever figured it out who he was, she would put her job before any feelings she had for him. And the same thing would happen if Laurel ever found out.

Oliver wondered, if telling Tommy was the right thing. At the time he'd had no other choice, but after he wondered. Would he tell Laurel? Oliver didn't think so, and he felt guilty for thinking that Tommy would say anything in the first place. Tommy was his best friend. And no cops had shown up on his doorstep yet, so he assumed that Tommy hadn't said anything to Laurel, because the first thing she would do is confront her dad. And that's why Oliver knew he couldn't be with her. He knew he shouldn't even try to get her back, because it was hard enough now to keep his secret from her. He didn't know if he could lie to her if they ever became something more again.

But all this telling himself that he couldn't be with Laurel only made him want her more. And it didn't help matters when she continuously showed up in his dreams. Or when he saw her in reality and she smiled at him, making his heart melt. McKenna had been good for him, for a little bit at least. He had started getting over Laurel. But now McKenna was gone, too, and Oliver was left alone, his feeling for Laurel slowly clawing their way back to the surface of his heart and mind.

Oliver sighed, running his hands across his face. He knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, so he climbed out of bed and pulled a t-shirt over his head, and tugged on a pair of sweats. He slipped into a pair of running shoes, then grabbed a black hoodie and zipped it on over his shirt, whipping the hood on over his head in a very familiar fashion. He slipped his phone in his pocket, then headed silently through the house. Once outside, Oliver started jogging. He needed the feeling of the cool night air burning through his lungs as he ran. It helped clear his head. Well, it usually did. It didn't seem to be helping tonight, though. Laurel kept flashing through his mind, and he couldn't get the images, the memories, to stop.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Where were you all night?" Thea asked when Oliver came in at 9:00 later that morning.

Oliver gave her a small smile. "Went for a run,"

"For six hours?" she shot back accusingly. "I heard you get up last night."

"I needed to clear my head. A lot has been going on with the club opening and McKenna leaving."

Thea's expression softened a little as Oliver brought up McKenna, and he knew he had convinced his sister. It brought a pang of hurt and guilt to see how easily he could manipulate those around him into believing every word he said. But it was to protect them all, and he shrugged the feelings away.

Thea gave him a smile, then turned to head up to her room. Oliver was about to follow her so he could change, but Thea turned back to him.

"I forgot to tell you, Mom's in the living room and…well, let's just say you have a visitor." Thea smirked knowingly, then turned and dashed up the stairs like she didn't want to be there when he saw who the visitor was.

Curious, Oliver headed towards the living room. When he stepped through the entryway to the sunlit room, Oliver froze in his tracks. The visitor for him was the last person he expected.

"Laurel," he said, though he was surprised anything could come out of his mouth at all with her standing there in his house.

His mother, Moira, smiled a little, and amused glint in her eyes, when she saw Oliver staring at Laurel.

"I'll leave you two be then." His mom said, excusing herself from the room, her heels clicking as she went.

Once she was gone, Oliver forced himself to step farther into the room.

"Hey, Oliver." Laurel said, and unsure smile on her perfect face.

"Hey," he replied warily. He could only wonder what she was doing here. She hardly ever came over anymore. There was no reason for her to. He figured it must have been important.

"Sorry, I probably should've called you before I came over, it's just…I don't know what I would've said." She said, twiddling her thumbs, then tucking a strand of hair behind one ear, like she did when she was nervous.

"What do you mean?' he asked.

"I need to talk to you. It's really important, and I didn't want to explain over the phone, or anywhere else."

"Okay, well I'm listening."

"I actually wanted to go somewhere to talk. Somewhere special," Laurel said, looking up at him with those big, beautiful eyes of hers. There was no way he could say no.

"Okay," he smiled. "But first, I think I should shower and change probably. How 'bout I come pick you up in an hour."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then." Laurel smiled at him.

Oliver let her out the front door, watching her long after she was gone.

An hour after Laurel left, Oliver showed up at her apartment, dressed in a fresh t-shirt, jeans, boots, and his favorite leather jacket. When Laurel opened the door, she was dressed in the same thing he had seen her in earlier: jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and her beat up black Converse. He loved her in those Converse. It was so…_her. _She grabbed a gray jacket from the hook by the door and smiled hugely at him.

"Ready?" he asked.

"You bet. Let's go," Laurel said, walking past him, taking the lead. Oliver couldn't help but smile and follow her.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Here?" Oliver asked once they had arrived at the 'somewhere special' place.

They had rode Oliver's bike about a mile or two outside of the city to a park with a lake. It was the same place that Laurel and Oliver had finally become a couple, back before he disappeared.

Laurel looked at him. "Yeah. I just thought…this was a happy place for me…for us, at one time. I just wanted to get away for a little bit. If you don't want to be here, we can go somewhere else-"

"No." Oliver interrupted. "It's perfect."

Laurel smiled. Then, she did something that surprised Oliver even more. She took his hand. He was too shocked to let go even if he wanted to. She started leading him to one of the bigger willow trees on the bank of the lake. Oliver took in their surroundings as they walked. The sunlight glittered off the lake and the willow branches swayed slightly in the light spring breeze. As they reached the tree, Laurel let go of his hand and ducked under the branches. Oliver took one last glance around. There were a few older couples in the park, but it was relatively empty. For a moment, Oliver worried about his bike, but he didn't really think granny and grandpa would take the bike out for a spin if he wasn't watching. Not wanting to wait any longer, Oliver ducked under the willow after Laurel.

He found her on her back hands folded over her stomach, gazing up at the branches above them, a small smile on her face. It was beautiful under the tree. The branches were high enough that Oliver could stand freely without knocking his head on the tree. The branches shaded the area enough, but it wasn't dark. Sunlight poked in here and there, turning Laurel's features to gold. She looked up at him and smiled. She was smiling a lot today and he liked it. He didn't remember the last time he had seen her this happy around him. Oliver stepped over and laid down beside her. The ground was a little cold, but not uncomfortable.

"What was so important that we had to come all the way out here to talk, Laurel?" Oliver asked.

Her smile faltered slightly, and she heaved a big sigh. "There's a couple things I wanted to talk to you about…" Laurel trailed off.

"Okay," Oliver said, turning on his side, propping up his head on his elbow. "I'm here, Laurel. I'm listening."

"After, um…after Tommy's dad was shot…I was going to meet up with Tommy at the hospital, and…and my mom showed up." Laurel didn't look at him.

"Your mom? I thought you hadn't seen her in years? Not since…" _since Sara died and I disappeared, _but he didn't say that out loud.

"Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise. Especially when she told me why she was there,"

"Why _was _she there?"

"She said…" Laurel sat up. Oliver sat up too, inching closer to Laurel. She looked pale. "She said that she thought Sara was alive, Ollie."

Laurel looked at him, gauging his reaction. Oliver tried to take deep breaths, but it was difficult. Flashes of that night broke into his thoughts. The storm. The yacht. Sara. The storm worsening. Sara. The storm hitting the Queen's Gambit. Sara falling through the hole in the boat, and getting sucked under. Drowning. Her screams echoed in his mind, but Oliver couldn't shake the memories loose.

"_No…_it can't be…" Oliver said, dazed.

"Ollie?" Laurel said, touching his arm.

Oliver snapped out his hand, grabbing Laurel's wrist. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he was probably grabbing her a little tightly, but the memories of that night took over his body, seizing his control. He could feel his chest heaving up and down with effort as he tried to breathe, tried to return to reality.

"Ollie…Ollie, let go," Laurel's voice finally broke through. He let go of her arm.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I'm sorry, Laurel, I…." Oliver trailed off.

"It's okay, Ollie. I didn't believe it at first, either." Laurel told him, moving closer, putting her hand in his. "But, Ollie, my mom showed me things, she showed me evidence, a picture, and I think there might be a possibility that Sara survived. We were thinking that she probably washed up on another island. And island different from yours."

Oliver looked at Laurel. And when he saw the hope in her eyes, it made the possibility of Sara being alive not so impossible. The hope in Laurel's eyes gave him hope, even if it was just a shred of hope, it was still there. And if there was some truth to what Laurel and her mom were saying, Oliver would look into it. He was the one with all the money and fancy toys, after all.

"I know that it's a one in million chance that she really is alive, but I'm willing to take that chance, Ollie. I just wanted you to know." Laurel said quietly.

"I…if you find anything, you'll let me know?" he said.

"Of course,"

"Laurel, you said there were a couple reasons why you wanted to talk. What's the other reason? What else did you want to talk about?" Oliver asked. He wanted to change the subject. He couldn't talk further about Sara until he had some evidence of his own.

"Well, first of all, I heard about McKenna. I'm sorry." Laurel said earnestly.

"Yeah. Me too. But hey, as long as you're happy, so am I," Oliver smiled at her, but she didn't smile back. "Laurel, what's wrong?"

"Tommy and I…he's been acting strange, ever since his dad was shot, and he won't tell me why. We had…we had sort of a falling out, I guess you could call it." Laurel looked down, and took her hand out of his. We, um…we decided to take a break. There's just so much going on with the club and now he's keeping secrets, and I just think it'll be good for both of us."

Oliver tried not showing the burst of joy that had just erupted inside of him. Laurel and Tommy were taking a break. He shouldn't have been happy, they were probably both hurting, but Oliver couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry," Oliver said. "Are you okay?"

"Actually…yeah I think I am." Laurel looked at him, and gave him a smile. "Thank you, Oliver, for being here. For listening. I don't know who else I would've talked to about all of this."

"I'll always be here for you, Laurel. I've made mistakes in the past, but I'm trying to make it up to all of everyone. You especially. So, whenever you need me, I'll be here." he whispered.

Laurel didn't say anything. Their eyes met and Oliver could feel his heart beat a little faster. Then, though they were right next to each other, they moved closer together. Oliver reached up a hand to cup Laurel's face, and she didn't pull away. A part of Oliver knew that he shouldn't, they shouldn't, her and Tommy just split, but Oliver's heart was telling him what he wanted and what he wanted was to be with Laurel.

It seemed to take a million years, but then Oliver was just centimeters away from Laurel. Finally, their lips touched and the whole world fell away. There, under the willow tree by the lake, had suddenly become heaven.

And Oliver never wanted to leave.

**So there's chapter 6! Hope you liked it! So I'll probably go away from the show a little bit now. I'll probably include important points with Oliver as Arrow, but in the story, it'll be him and Laurel now.**

**Thanks for all the support! Please tell me what you think!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-DaughterOfPoseidon333**


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